Did you know that not all evidence against you may be admissible in court? It is possible to suppress evidence if the police violated your constitutional rights when getting the evidence or if they made legal mistakes in handling it. Suppressed evidence will be excluded from your trial, even if it is key to your case.
Here is what you need to know about suppressing evidence.
The grounds for suppression
There are many scenarios where evidence can be suppressed. For example, if the police conducted a warrantless and unlawful search on you or your property, it is possible to suppress the evidence obtained from the illegal search.
It is a violation of your constitutionally enshrined Fourth Amendment rights, and the court will not admit such evidence.
Other instances include:
- Errors in the chain of custody that tampered with the integrity of the evidence
- Not being informed of your rights before custodial interrogation
- Violation of your right to have legal representation
All these are possible reasons why a court may suppress evidence, and it could work for you in your trial.
It may be hard to prove your guilt without crucial evidence
For the court to deliver a guilty verdict, the prosecution must prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecution had built its case on a piece of evidence that is later suppressed, it might not be easy to meet the threshold of guilt.
Preparing your defense
Part of your defense strategy should include establishing the admissibility of every single piece of evidence against you. Sometimes, the margin between admissible and inadmissible evidence is very slim, and the rules of evidence can get complicated.
Therefore, it may be advisable to seek help navigating your case – it can make all the difference.